Virtual machine computing environments are often used to implement datacenters to enable information technology (IT) organizations to deliver flexible and reliable IT services. However, as the infrastructure in a virtual machine (VM) computing environment expands to meet the growing needs of a datacenter, it can become increasingly difficult and time consuming to configure multiple host machines in similar ways. Existing per-host processes typically involve repetitive and error-prone configuration steps. As a result, maintaining configuration consistency and correctness across a datacenter requires increasing amounts of time and expertise, leading to increased operational costs.
A tool called “host profiles” can facilitate the installation and management of a complex virtual machine computing environment. Host profiles capture the blueprint of a known, validated reference host configuration, including components such as networking, storage, security, and other settings. Host profiles enable a system administrator in a datacenter to establish standard configurations for host machines, and to automate compliance to these configurations, simplifying operational management of large-scale environments and reducing errors caused by misconfigurations.
Host profiles can replace per-host, manual or UI-based host configuration, and maintain configuration consistency and correctness across the datacenter. Host profiles allow the system administrator to automate host configuration across a large number of hosts and clusters and thus reduce the time spent on configuring and deploying new host machines. Host profiles facilitate monitoring for host configuration errors and deviations, detect and report configuration errors so that remedial action can be taken.